GM Begins Chevy Volt Integration Tests

By: Andy Hodges
Staff Writer
Published: May 28, 2009

GM Rolls Out Chevy Volt Integration Tests Before 2010 Production

The Chevy Volt is finally going into final tests as General Motors gets ready to build 80 vehicles. The Chevrolet Volt is go through several revisions before production begins in November 2010. The new cars are called integration vehicles, which resemble the GM Volt because they are only used to test its long range EV system.

%u201CFirst, they validate our production design, vehicle safety and performance capabilities. Just as important, the build activity provides valuable insight into the final vehicle assembly process to ensure a high-level of build quality and manufacturing efficiency when production begins in November 2010,%u201D GM spokesman Rob Peterson said in a statement.

The Volt integration electric vehicles will finally appear like the real GM automobile. This is a normal process for cars, which are developed before they enter production. These cars are special because they are no longer prototypes, but the real pre-production line up.

The cars GM is building are at its technical center near Detroit. Auto engineers will build the first of the integration vehicles by hand, a process which will take about 10 days. The car manufacturer plans to build 10 vehicles per week by mid-July, totaling up to 80, for these integration tests.

Volt will be in showrooms starting next year. There is still some confusion on its mileage, whether it will do 50, 60, or 80 MPG, is something we won't know for sure until early 2010.